How to Say ‘About five minutes; I'll call you when it's ready.’ in Simplified Chinese
大概五分钟，做好了叫您。
dà gài wǔ fēn zhōng zuò hǎo le jiào nín
[dah guy wǔ fēnzhōng zuòhǎo luh jiào neen]
💬 Usage Tip: Chinese often drops the word for "when": 做好了 by itself sets up the condition "once it's made", and the next action follows straight after.
🇨🇳 In China: Staff use the polite 您 (nín) with customers. In many cafés, though, "calling you" means shouting out your order number or name, or sending a notice in the ordering app.
Phrase Breakdown
大概五分钟，
dà gài wǔ fēn zhōng
about five minutes,
This gives an estimated wait time. Pause at the comma.
大概五分钟到。
Arriving in about five minutes.
Words in this phrase
大概
dà gài
[dah guy]
approximately; about
Used to give an estimate rather than an exact number.
我们大概七点到餐厅。
We will arrive at the restaurant at about seven o’clock.
五
wǔ
[wǔ]
five
The numeral 5.
她的香水是香奈儿五号。
Her perfume is Chanel No. 5.
分钟
fēn zhōng
[fēnzhōng]
minute
A unit of time, 60 seconds.
等我五分钟。
Wait for me five minutes.
做好了叫您。
zuò hǎo le jiào nín
I'll call you when it's ready.
做好了 (zuò hǎo le) means 'ready'. 您 (nín) is the polite 'you'.
好了我叫您。
I'll call you when it's done.
Words in this phrase
做好
zuò hǎo
[zuòhǎo]
to finish making
To complete preparing something.
饭做好了。
The meal is ready.
了
le
[luh]
completed action marker
Shows that an action has happened or a new situation has occurred.
我想了很久，还是决定联系你。
I thought about it for a long time and still decided to contact you.
叫
jiào
[jiào]
to call
To call out to someone or summon them.
妈妈叫我回家。
Mom called me home.
您
nín
[neen]
you (polite)
A respectful form of “you,” used when speaking politely to someone, such as a recruiter or company representative.
很高兴认识您，希望向您多学习。
It’s a pleasure to meet you; I hope to learn more from you.
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